Notes and Editorial Reviews

This is an attractive disc. Helene Wold and Vegard Lund have programmed a recording that might duplicate a recital where the singer occasionally takes a break and gives the guitarist a moment to shine. Nine of the 22 selections here are for guitar alone (the most impressive being Mauro Giuliani’s Variations on a Theme of Handel, brilliantly performed). The variety inherent in this approach is a valuable asset for the disc, particularly because soprano Wold does not have at her disposal a wide palette of colors. (Lund plays the mandolin in two Mozart songs.)

Wold does have a very pleasant lyric soprano voice, and while the basic color of the voice tends to stay within a narrow range, she compensates with a quite full arsenalRead more of expressive gestures, sensitivity to dynamic shading, and a clear understanding of text and meaning. Wold and Lund are husband and wife, which may not always assure performers being on the same wavelength but seems to in this case. They have found a whole range of interesting, mostly offbeat repertoire, thrown in a few standards, and the result is a rather fascinating journey for the listener. The songs of Ludwig Spohr and of Anton Diabelli are nice discoveries, as are the instrumental works of Johann Kaspar Mertz.

LAWO is a relatively new Norwegian company that seems so far to focus on Scandinavian artists. It provides helpful notes, though they could be a bit more comprehensive, and full texts and translations. The recorded sound is excellent, finding the right balance between voice and guitar. For those interested in exploring something out of the ordinary and hearing a pair of fine artists present it, this can be warmly recommended.